Domestic ironing



Dec. 2, 1969 R. E. SHETTEL DOMESTIC IRONING Filed Jan. 2, 1968 I'NVENTOR United States Patent 3,481,570 DOMESTIC IRONING Ralph E. Shettel, Rte. 1, Twin Falls, Idaho 83301 Filed Jan. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 695,229

Int. Cl. F16] 3/00 US. Cl. 248-51 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to the domestic ironing board common to every household but more particularly to a device that will eliminate the friction and the resulting material disturbance along the edge of an ironing board caused by the flatiron cord.

It does not take persons old to the ironing chore to be alert to the persistent conflict initiated by the cord disrupting the ironing sequence. Furthermore, as the flatiron slides to and fro over the board, the cord Works frictionally up and down along the board edge catching the material and in the process rumpling it. By necessity, ironing is synonymous with smoothness and it becomes obvious that there is a resulting distress. There exists, then, a need for a control device easy to use and functionally efficient. With this object in mind, the means herein described and shown do control and guide the cord away from the board edge. This is a primary objective of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a keeper means which will contain the cord on the controlling curb.

Further, it is proposed to provide for flexibility and adaptability in its installation and use.

A still further object of the invention is to effect the simplest device capable of producing the desired results.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the cord curb unit installed on the ironing board;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the clamping device taken along line -5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the butterfly keeper means; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cord curb unit.

Referring now to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular, it will be seen that a right-handed person is depicted engrossed in the ironing chore, with the ironing board indicated by the numeral 12 and the flatiron 14 positioned thereon with its cord 16 trailing to the floor over the cord curb unit, indicated generally by the reference numeral 18.

As shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the cord curb unit 18 of FIG. 1, according to the invention, comprises two principal parts, a clamping device 20 and a controlling shaft which have common horizontal alignments generally paralleling the edge of an ironing board 12. It will be noted in FIG. 2 that the clamping device 20 consists, essentially, of a length of inwardly curving spring steel 22, generally U-shaped, whose opposing side extremities are flexibly set apart to finally engage the edge of an ironing board 12. The curve of spring 22 at rest is intentionally tightened at 21, and serves to impart to ice clamp 20 the required grip upon expansion and partial release. It will be seen that the lower side extremity of spring 22 is substantially encased in plastic 24, in a flattened configuration, which will produce the body that not only more effectively catches a variety of ironing board frames but also provides the fingerhold by which spring 22 may be expanded for installation or removal. The oval tube 26 formed of the upper side extremity of spring 22 is primarily disposed to receive the corresponding oval shank of shaft 30, FIG. 4, from either end and provide a rotation free anchorage therein 32. Further, oval tube 26 though open is uniformly embedded in the plastic which is extended laterally inward to produce a substantial flange portion 28 whose alignments are inherent from those of spring 22 yet opposing fingerhold 24 so as to grasp the ironing board surface 12 between them. A positive position is progressed by texturing 25 on the opposing surface of flange 28 and fingerhold 24.

For all practical purposes, clamp '20 is snapped into position. Flange 28, resting in the palm of the hand, is started over the board edge as the fingers engage fingerhold 24 and cause a downward pressure which overcomes and expands spring 22 enough to allow it to slip over the board edge. Clamp 20 is applicable to any position along either edge of any ironing board.

Referring again to FIG. 4 of the drawings, shaft 30 is shown to generally parallel the horizontal alignments of clamp 20 and, by necessity, those of ironing board 12 also, and its special purpose is to control and guide cord 16 in a spaced apart relationship with the board edge. Further, shaft 30 must have the tenacity to withstand the drag and pull stresses exerted by cord 16 during the ironing sequence. From its anchorage 31 in clamp 20, shaft 30 extends outwardly with a joggle beginning at 32 to produce initial separation, continuing slightly at 34 to end with a keeper means 36 at its outer extremity whose function is to support and contain flatiron cord 16. Its generally hooked configuration exists as an upward and inward roll of the flattened surfaces of shaft 30 with its horizontal alignments 35 preferably turned toward the point of the ironing board to help ease the passage of cord 16. The weight of cord trailing to the floor accomplishes the retrieving action.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that the clamp and shaft parts are reversible for leftand righthand use. The desired keeper alignments toward the point of the ironing board and the inward hook will be best accomplished for left-hand use by mirroring the configuration of keeper 36 below shaft 30, butterfly fashion 37, alone or in combination to produce a left-hand shaft part or an interchangeable shaft part, respectively, as depicted in FIG. 3 of the drawings. As shaft 30 is overturned and reversibly set into clamp 20, the alignments described for keeper 36 will be maintained by keeper 37 for left-hand use since they are self-reversing. The curb unit 18 of FIG. 1 need only be applied to the opposite board edge.

It is preferred that any arise be given shaft 30 after the installation has been completed. Personal preference will dictate a rightor left-hand mounting and this will determine the direction of the arise above the horizontal. The degree of arise, if any, will be largely a matter of choice.

It may be apparent from the foregoing that a relatively simple, flexible, inexpensive, easily applied and removed ironing aid is provided which effectively controls the flatiron cord. While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is not desired that the invention be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but rather encompass all modifications and rights falling within the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A fiatiron cord curbing unit adapted to be attached to and generally parallel the edge of an ironing board comprising in combination: an elongate shaft having a shank portion at one end and a keeper means at the other end with a joggle portion intermediate said ends, a clamping device having upper and lower plastic portions depending the extremities of a curving generally U-shaped spring section disposed to clampingly engage said plastic portions against the upper and lower surfaces of an ironing board, the upper and lower extremities of said spring section being embedded in the corresponding upper and lower plastic portions, the upper extremity of said spring section being turned inwardly upon itself to form an oval shaped tube open at its ends which comprises said shaft for selective rightor left-hand installation while providing a rotation free anchorage therein, said shaft being shaped and adapted to extend outward from its anchorage in said clamping device in spaced apart relationship with the edge of an ironing board, said keeper means being of an upwardly and inwardly hooked configuration.

2. The combination of claim 1 and being further characterized in that said keeper means at the outer extremity of said shaft being extended laterally below said shaft to mirror the configuration and alignments thereof alone, or in combination butterfly fashion, to thereby afford the self-reversing features necessary for left-hand use.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 

